#love when him being undead actually comes into play

[rackartyg]

bringing astarion along for the mystic carrion quest is so fun. the whole party is doubled over panting from spell rot, meanwhile astarion gets to feel smugly superior

[brabblesblog]

A reason to beat again

A small, non-canon compliant drabble.

What if vampire hearts beat again when they fall in love?

Read on AO3.

Masterlist.

He first notices it in the underdark.

A soft fluttering in his breast, as he sits by the campfire. He’d been looking at you, but that was nothing new. Lately, that was all he’d been doing during quiet moments in your journey.

In that moment he’d been watching you laugh as Gale regaled you with yet another tale of his days in the academy. He gasps, a hand quietly coming up to his chest. Was he being poisoned? Cursed?

He immediately seeks the refuge of his tent, closing the flap as he goes inside. The feeling was odd, and it went as fast as it had come.

Days pass. And the fluttering happens with increasing frequency.

He hides whenever it happens. Sometimes, it’ll be in the heat of battle. He’d be watching you and see you almost get hit - and there it is, that fluttering in his breast where his heart used to beat.

Used to.

Right?

He shakes his head. It’s impossible. Vampires are undead. He is undead. He has been for two centuries.

But he feels it anyway. When you’re close. When he drinks from you. When you laugh. When your hand touches him.

He ignores that feeling as best as he could, just like how he tries to ignore that growing affection for you.

He caves in, eventually. He tells you of his feelings, of what he was initially trying to do. He expects you to be hurt, to lash out.

But you hug him.

Pressed against your body, he feels that flutter again. For a second, he assumes he’s feeling your heart. But no. There are two beats there. Not one.

You’re too focused on the hug to notice the change. His eyes widen at the realization of what has happened. What has been happening all this time. Slowly, he lets the feeling in. Lets you in.

It’s not a flutter anymore. It’s a beat. Slow, and very much unlike a living heart, but it still does beat.

Not long after, when you have developed a habit of sleeping over in his tent, you finally notice it.

You’re lying on his chest as he reads a book. Your eyes are half-closed, resting, when you finally hear a slow, constant thudding. You’re so used to hearing your own heart race when you’re with him, so missing a sound so subtle made sense.

“What was-“ you begin to say, trying to get up and ask him what on earth that was. You know for a fact when you slept together at the clearing that he had no heartbeat. You tap his chest questioningly.

He puts his book away, and looks down at you. He smiles. His hand finds your hair, stroking it lazily.

“I was wondering when you’d notice.”

You frown, trying to think of an explanation. “You’ve started feeding on my blood. Mine and our enemies’. Thinking creatures,” you say, more to yourself than anything. You’re enjoying this, teasing out the puzzle of his heart.

He laughs, a soft bark of sound in the silence of the evening.

“Don’t flatter yourself, darling. Your blood - or that of goblins and gnomes - isn’t that miraculous,” he drawls. “This.. doesn’t usually happen.”

Then again, vampires usually don’t fall in love, either.

“Then what?” You quirk an eyebrow at him, challenging him. “Because I’m pretty sure that wasn’t there before.”

He thinks it through for a moment, then lets his guard down. His eyes widen and he cups your cheek. It’s not often that he does this, but lately you’ve been seeing it more often in your quiet moments together.

“I think.. it just found a reason to beat again,” he murmurs. He looks away immediately, embarrassed at the raw vulnerability of the moment.

You know not to lean too much into this moment. Instead you offer him a retreat into the safety of banter.

“I’m actually stunned. I didn’t even think you had a heart, Astarion,” you say, a grin forming on your lips.

He takes your offer gratefully, slipping back into it without missing a beat.

“Darling,” he scoffs, playing up the offended expression on his face, “I’m hurt. Here I am, treating you so nicely, and you think I’m heartless?”

His hands move to pin you down and tickle you, and the conversation dies and becomes cursing and screaming, as you try to fight him off.

And deep inside his chest, his heart soars.

Taglist: @elora-the-slutty-songstress @tragedybunny @spacebarbarianweird

[justporo]

Hey you :D

Here’s a request just to add your huge list for after vacation muahaha 💖

How do you think a slow, bickering romance with Astarion (kinda like Howl and Sophie) would go down.

Hey darling ❤️ You might’ve forgotten about this ask but I have not! I'm combining this with another one asking about where Astarion rejected Tav at first but then slowly fell for them.

Also haven't done one of this headcanon posts for a whole haven't we? Here we go:

Headcanons about Astarion slowly but surely falling in love with you (and how he pursues you)

Oh, it's all just a game for him, isn't it? At least at first. But this silly little jester didn't realise he was playing himself.

He might have rejected you at first (because he's a prick who has looked at the sun a little too long, let's be honest) but he quickly realises he can't take his mind off of you

You keep stirring the vampire's undead little heart and it scares him at first - and of course you had given up on it after that first hurtful rejection

But his crimson eyes start to never stray far from you, no matter if in battle or at camp: he can't tear his gaze from you - gods dammit, you're lovely!

It's in the way you always put others first, always have a kind word to spare, always a warm smile. How you laugh and how brave you are, how you bite your lip when you're lost deep in thought.

Quite frankly: a stake to his heart couldn't have been more effective.

But he realises another thing: he wants to be real with you, he wants to fall slowly with you - not a vicious thunderstorm but a soft, warm summer rain

And so Astarion begins to yearn in silence as you too can't keep your thoughts from turning around him often

It's painfully obvious to everyone around you how much the two of you are in love with each other; so much so that bets are being made in camp if you're gonna make it before you all reach the Gate

You notice that Astarion keeps sneaking around you like an adoring cat would: always a playful quip on the tip of his sharp tongue that you never take serious because... this Astarion we're talking about. "Oh my heart, aren't you even more blinding than the sun today" "Look who's blessing us with their grace and insight." "A copper for the thoughts in your pretty little head, darling."

Astarion doesn't know how to live the teasing out of his tone, maybe out of fear you might actually start taking him seriously; but if you would peel back the generous layer of faked sarcasm you'd find he's actually being serious

This man is downright smitten by you and you don't realise it as he achingly yearns for you - so much the others can barely take it

Sometimes you find little gifts on your pillow when you wake up: a sweet treat, snuck away from the others, a single blossom, a mysterious line of poetry - you are at a loss at where this comes from or if someone is playing with you

Meanwhile Astarion swallows his pride to regularly go to Wyll and ask his advice who... does help him but not without a haughty grin whenever he sees the lovesick vampire stroll over in his seemingly hopeless endeavour

Meanwhile you keep doing your utmost best to be at Astarion's side because you truly only want to help him and be happy and safe

Again: have mercy with the poor tortured soul, sometimes Astarion almost feels like he could combust on the spot if you give him one of your adorable lopsided smiles

When Moonrise and unpleasant people happen something in Astarion breaks, it all bursts out of him at once, overpowering even his terrible fear of rejection

The hug and tender first kiss you share that night tears both if your walls down.

You have not defeated the big bad enemy but something in your heart lightens knowing you have someone who will travel the road to whatever end with you

From there on out the two of you become even more unbearable in your pining for each other - meanwhile not trivial amounts of gold are passed between the other companions with quite some grumbling - but be assured: all of your friends are rooting for the two of you.

There we go, I love idiots in love with each other, hope you enjoyed!

[itsthesinbin]

You Had It All. You Had Him. (Valentino/Reader)

Just a little idea of what if you and Val were close in life and ended up in hell together/how he'd treat someone he actually Likes that ISN'T on the same power level as him.

Suggestive at the end. Reader is Gender Neutral.

TW: the Vees being the Vees, possessiveness, codependency, implied abuse (not toward reader), implied drugging (sorta. val's saliva is like a pheromone), implied high/drugged sex (from said pheromone), implied stalking/voyeurism (from Vox)

if I'm missing anything on the tw just lmk

If you like it, reblog it!

-----------------------------------

It was no secret how possessive Valentino was, what with him having Vox install cameras everywhere to keep an eye on his “assets”. Only a select few people had the pleasure of holding Val’s affection- the definition of which would change depending on who the target was. Angel Dust was an unfortunate soul stuck on the more insincere end of Valentino’s “affections”, and was kept under as tight of a lock and key as he could get.

You were… a different story.

You and Valentino had arrived in Hell together, glued to the hip in life and now in death. You didn’t remember the details of your death. Valentino did, and he always told you the same thing when you asked: “Why does it matter? We’re here now, aren’t we?” You guessed he was right.

Valentino had taken it upon himself to keep you both safe in the literal Hell you both found yourselves in. Stuck on the streets, Valentino had sold himself to get the money needed for food. Then a hotel. Then weapons. You didn’t like guns- you were probably considered a hippie back in the day- but Valentino insisted you keep one on you. Taught you how to shoot.

Once the weapons were secured, he shifted from sex to robbery to get the money he needed. Or both, if he could get away with it. You were terrified he wouldn’t come back one day- leave you totally alone in the afterlife. Even if he was damaged, though, he always returned in one piece. He loved to play up how sore he was so you’d baby him. He always did, even before arriving here.

Eventually, your apartment was tiny and shitty, but it was a stable home. Rent was atrocious- you figured capitalism would survive down here. But you had food on the table, clean clothes, and even a few luxury items.

And Valentino. Throughout it all, you had Val.

You both grew into your new bodies and abilities. You weren’t nearly as powerful as Val, who had begun to persuade people to sign their souls away to him. You still felt sick at the idea of such a thing, so you stayed on the sidelines while Valentino rose to greater heights. Got better money by starting his own porn studio. Gave you better places to live.

Then Vox and Velvette arrived.

By this point, you and Valentino had moved into an actual home. Big, and Valentino decorated it in his signature pinks and hearts. Everyone knew this house, and everything in it, belonged to the newest Overlord to rise in the ranks. People avoided you like the plague.

You answered the door at the insistent knocking. You first saw the shorter woman who was immediately eyeing your outfit and then the foyer’s decor. Then you craned your head up to meet the eyes of a figure you actually recognized. How could you not? He was in every commercial and every news program.

Vox smiled the same smile he gives in his interviews. The kind you give someone to disarm them. Valentino had the same talent, so you saw through it instantly. But you stayed polite. These two were powerful by themselves- you didn’t want to anger both of them.

“Hello there,” Vox started, sticking a hand out. “Vox, and this is my associate Velvette. This is the home of Valentino, right?” You shook his hand firmly, ignoring how his claws snagged the skin of your wrist from how long they were. Velvette didn’t go for a handshake, so you left her alone.

“Uh… yeah, he’s… upstairs. Let me go get him- make… yourselves at home,” you got out, undead heart hammering in your chest as they made their way to your couch. You would pray to God that Valentino wasn’t about to get killed, but you guessed God didn’t give a shit about you if you were down here.

You knocked on his door, cringing slightly when you heard a faint sigh. He hated being bothered when he was in his office. He took that time to edit the videos he recorded at the studio. It took a minute, but he eventually unlocked the door and opened it. Red smoke wafted out after him. You coughed slightly and waved it away, only for your wrist to be caught in a firm grip. You could tell he was annoyed.

“Mi vida, I’ve told you before-” you cut him off before he could continue to berate you.

“Vox and Velvette showed up. What did you do?” You told him, hissing the question quietly out of fear. His eyes widened, and his grip on your arm tightened a fraction. Then he let you go.

“Go grab your gun and hide it under the back of your shirt,” he instructed, a hand moving to your cheek. Your ears went back, and another hand settled on your hip. He smiled that charming smile- the one that always put you at ease.

“Hey, hey, mi cielito, I’ve kept you safe this whole time, haven’t I? Trust me, and get your gun. Only pull it out if I tell you to.” You swallowed, then nodded. With a purring little “good”, he let you go to grab his own. He was a little more brazen, keeping its holster visible on his hip. He headed downstairs while you went to get your own weapon. You figured he’d want you to be the element of surprise. You took a deep breath, then made your way down after him.

Val was greeting the two when you arrived. He sat down on the heart shaped loveseat, and held two of his arms out. You sat with him, leaning into him on instinct. His strong arms went around you securely, one hand immediately playing with your hair while the other settled on your hip. He always liked to put his claim to you on display. Had to, in this place. You saw Velvette sneer slightly, and Vox’s smile tightened in annoyance.

“Valentino,” Vox started, deciding to just ignore your presence. You were fine with that. Val was the businessman here.

“My partner and I come with a business proposition. You’re quickly becoming a very powerful Overlord- it’s impressive! But, with how long some of the others have been here, you’re bound to hit a… roadblock, so to speak.” Valentino frowned, tapping his foot angrily. In hopes of keeping his mood swings in check, you pressed closer and patted his chest. The claws in your hair scratched along your scalp gently in response.

“We’d like to offer a business partnership. Here at V- uh-” he coughed, trying to cover up the fact he was about to go into his actual business spiel. You and Val couldn’t help but snicker. Even Velvette snorted slightly as Vox grew flustered. He cleared his throat.

“The terms are simple: join us, and we’ll help keep your territories under control. You’ll get access to my very own brand for your work, too- cameras, lights, editing equipment…” That got Valentino’s attention. He perked up slightly, and Vox’s grin widened.

“I’m sure Velvette could even spare costumes and makeup.” “Sure can. Also got an idea for a love potion, if you’d be willing to help me develop it,” she smirked. Valentino’s hand stilled. A quick look at his face told you that he was considering it. Vox looked at you, and Val’s grip on you tightened. You knew instantly that Vox had leverage. You had a sinking feeling as Vox got a predatory look in his eye.

“And, of course, I can offer protection- for your actors, your assets… and whoever else may need it. I can have guards stationed at all times, and cameras everywhere.” Val’s hand slid from your head and down your back.

“... Give me a few days to think about it.” Vox and Val shook hands, and you saw your guests out. Valentino was deep in thought when you turned around.

You both were moved into Vox’s tower by the end of the month.

Which led you here. Dolled up in red and hearts and with a very obvious collar around your neck. You never signed a contract- not that Valentino needed you to. Even before dying, you relied on him. It was worse now- he had given you everything, and you didn’t think anything of it.

You sat in your lavish room, with Kitty brushing out your hair to get you ready for your date. The collar with the heart shaped name tag weighing heavy like lead stared back at you in the mirror. The camera in the corner behind you moved slightly, centering you in its lens. You knew Vox was watching you. He was watching everyone.

The door opened to reveal Valentino, who was absolutely delighted to see you. The shoot must’ve gone well, if he was in this good of a mood. He came over and all but shoved Kitty out of the way.

“Go get Papi a drink,” he barked at the robot, who scurried off quickly. Then he parked himself in a chair behind you, taking over where Kitty left off. Of course, he barely did anything before his mouth found its way to your neck.

“Almost ready to go, baby?” he all but purred. You rolled your eyes slightly in response.

“I would be, if you hadn’t kicked my hairdresser out,” you joked. He huffed, before pulling you back against him with his second set of arms.

“What can I say? I prefer having you to myself.” There was a tone to his voice that sent a shiver up your spine, and at this point you didn’t know if you liked it or not.

He finished your hair, turning your vanity chair around so he could see you fully. His face lit up at the hair, makeup, and outfit. He always liked to dress you to match whatever he wore under his wings that day, and gave you your own pair of heart shaped glasses.

“I could just eat you up, you know,” he hummed, hands traveling along your hips and up your arms. You felt your heart beat against your ribcage. The look in his eye, the way he grinned, said that he really could if you’d let him. The sound of Vox’s security camera moving made him twitch.

His wings flew open, blocking you from view. A hand went up to your face and his thumb stroked your cheek. You knew Vox and Val had a… relationship, so to speak, and it didn’t bother you too much. Free love and all that, a you from the past would’ve said. But Val was very particular about who you spent your time with- or who got to see him let his guard down with you.

“Maybe we can be a little late to dinner. I’m sure they’ll make an exception for us,” he grinned, red trailing down his chin as he leaned in. The sweet smell that always radiated off of him was a lot stronger now that he was close.

The familiar haze of Valentino draped over you as soon as his tongue was in your mouth. You felt your eyelids flutter and your muscles relax as his strong arms lifted you off the seat. You vaguely heard the whirr of the camera’s motorized joint following you. You stared into the lens over Valentino’s shoulder, as your demonic boyfriend trailed his tongue along your neck. You could tell it zoomed in on you both. From how Val let his wings back down, you guessed he wanted Vox to see. You didn’t argue.

You two didn’t end up going to dinner, instead staying in your bed until you both grew too tired to continue. Val snored away, head on your chest an antennae tickling your cheek. Your hand trailed up and down his back lightly, just how he liked it when he first got his wings and his spine stayed so sore as he adjusted.

In quiet moments like this, you could almost pretend you two were back in your shitty one bedroom apartment. Struggling day by day with you budgeting whatever money Valentino could bring in, but happy that you had each other. You were suffering, but you suffered together.

Now the collar dug into your neck, as he liked you to keep it on whenever you were with him. Another way of his to lay his claim. You ignored the fact you would see his brand on his workers. How that new spider demon hung off his arm when you would bring something to the studio and stared at you either with jealousy or despair. How you’d overhear Valentino be furious and angry behind a door and as soon as you’d enter he was back to his adoring self.

You didn’t really have any other option, not with how deep you’ve let yourself dig the whole that was codependency. You were terrified of being alone. Even if you could be, Vox has eyes and ears everywhere. You’d never get a chance to leave. You had no idea if you wanted to.

Valentino’s obsessions and possessive nature seeped into every aspect of his life. His videos, the way his actors were dressed, the way every little thing was personalized just for him. Including you.

You were safe. You were taken care of. You were protected. And, just like it’s been since the beginning of your afterlife, you had Valentino.

[zalrb]

for your recent ask on how to build relationships in movies where you used willabeth as an example i was just thinking of them as i read ur post lmao! what do u think are some underrated aspects of their relationship in the films ? and if you had to pick a favorite film of the potc trilogy based on just willabeth, which would you pick?

Oh, yay! A Willabeth ask!

AWE automatically wins on "At Wit's End" (aka "Will and Elizabeth's love theme") alone. That is the soundtrack to a cosmic, epic, transcendental, soul-moving, earth-shattering love story, that is the epitome of a romantic composition, it is everything. Like just listen.

But I mean, the scenes that they have in this movie?

I'm not sure that there's anything that shippers find underrated about them, it would just be in response to Sparrabeth shippers or people who are anti-Willabeth, which I just don't find merits a response but something I do quite enjoy about the Willabeth love story is the role Jack plays in it and how his respective bonds with Will and Elizabeth actually reinforce that love story:

Like, Jack helps Will come to terms with his parentage and history

and therefore who he is and Will, in turn, saves Jack from the gallows.

Elizabeth has faith in Jack, tells him he’s a good man, helps him see the morality of situations

and Jack does prove her right in Dead Man’s Chest by coming back to help the crew but I think the most significant way he proves her right is by going against a desire he wanted for all of At World’s End so he can do right by Will (and it actually goes further than his desire throughout At World’s End but to a fundamental passion like he sold his soul to Davy Jones to get the Pearl, that’s how much he loves the sea)

and then you had Jack speaking to Elizabeth’s desire for freedom

and encourages her obtainment of that freedom, of that agency, of that power

which ultimately leads back to her choosing to love and be with Will

which, despite what antis say, isn't a regression. The trilogy begins with seeing her discomfort in "polite society" and feeling pressured into doing what's expected i.e. an engagement to Norrington

which includes hiding her fascination with pirates as well as her feelings for Will

the two things are interconnected. In fact, when we see her being chastised for not behaving the way she should, it's when she's too intimate with Will

Her interest in pirates is signified with her keeping Will's medallion

her choosing Will is also her choosing her own freedom

Will even teaches her how to fight

and throughout the trilogy, it's them discovering more facets of themselves i.e. Will reunites with his father, Elizabeth actually gets to be a pirate but what even got them on those journeys was trying to find/help the other so they can be together

and those layers just bring them back together stronger. This has always been the point

This also isn't exactly underrated but I find when I go into the tag, there's a lot of emphasis on what Will does for Elizabeth, how he supports her, how in love with her he is, how devoted to her he is and I completely understand why but also Elizabeth's devotion to Will deserves a spotlight as well.

Going to fight undead pirates alone to save Will

Being both surprised and upset at Will even considering that she could be in love with Jack

Giving away the entire plan because she couldn't feign disinterest when Sao Feng acted as though he'd stab Will

Having to literally be carried away by Jack when Will was stabbed

Even the smaller, in between things like Will shouting at Elizabeth to shoot at the barrels of rum but her refusing because he was still caught in the net.

I just love them so much.

[im-totally-not-an-alien-2]

Black cat au stuff 4

1. Black cat introduces himself by saying, "I'm Black Cat, but you'll soon know me as the one that got away!"

2. Joker did something to anger Danny so he decided to humiliate the clown. How you may ask? Pies. Lots and lots of pies. Hes invisible when he does it so no one actually knows its him doing it but the Joker hasn't been able to get through one monolog or do even a single dramatic entrance since all this began.

Jason is loving it.

3. Danny started visiting Arkam as Black Cat and casually chatting and befriending the people he liked. I say "visiting" but no one is really sure how he keeps getting in or out, and he doesn't obey the visiting hours policy, but he brings snacks and keeps the patients calm. It's almost like he has a comforting aura about him. Strange.

4. Danny knows Red Robin is amazing with computers but so is he. He essentially used a combo of ghost magic and coding to make a sort of digital boobie trap against anyone who tried to get into his devices/obtain his information.

Danny isn't sure how Red Robin and Oracle had done it, but they managed to set off the trap not only on thier own devices but onto every device in Gotham which was hilarious because it left Danny laugh-crying on the floor of his flower shop as the entire city of Gotham got Rick Rolled. They even got the radio towers! How???!

The scene repeated a few days later and Dannys actually impressed that they made it worse somehow as the new song he selected (The english/Metal cover of Caramelldansen) blasted now in Gotham, the Titans Tower, the Watchtower, and Mt. Justice for three whole hours before they managed to turn it off.

5. Danny loves giving the Batfam gummy worms to snack on. He even found a nice vegan brand for Damian since he's vegetarian.

6. Danny buys these dumb realistic fangs and shows them off to Nightwing and Robin saying, "Careful, I bite!"

Nightwing laughs while Robin turns an interesting shade of red. Unfortunately for him, Alley Cat noticed and upon seeing the smirk on her face he knew that she knew.

Alley proceeds to flop between taking delight in placing Robin and Black Cat in awkward crush situations and being a wingwoman.

Catwoman watches all of it through Alley and Black's cameras like a prime soap opera.

7. Might be related to 6 but Damian/Robin keeps finding new and perfectly excusable ways to hold Danny/Black Cat. Like, start up bridal style. At some point Danny got so used to Robin and Damian picking him up and will just chill in thier arms until it becomes awkward or bird boy is forced to put him down.

8. The cats are always careful to avoid anyone with a sensitivity to the supernatural after this one psychic lady started screaming in terror when she saw/sensed him.

Imagine his and Zatannas mutual horror upon meeting! Danny just blurts out he's cursed as a cover up for being a super powerful undead eldrich creature

Robin: What?!

The batfam: What?!

Zatanna: *internally screaming cause what could possibly leave a curse like that*

Danny: ...oh ancients, what have I done.

9. Dani falls in love with this show called Moster High cause the characters are "like her" and Danny is just happy she has role models until she forces him to watch it and now they sing the intro song together often. Danny is a good big brother.

10. Cass just starts randomly referring to Kitty as her brother-in-law and everyone in the Justice Leage is confused- especially when they're told its the baby of the family whos engaged.

Kitty is brought to The Watchtower for whatever reason you can come up with and Cass explains they have a prank going on where they convinced the Justice Leage that he and Robin were engaged and asked him to play along.

Kitty, being a little chaos gremlin, agreed and playfully flirted with Damian all day. It was the goodbye kiss at the end that made Robin decide he owed Cass big time.

[halfghostwriter]

“You’re listening to Wraith Radio, your number one link to the living realm. I’m your host, the wandering ghost, Ellie Phantom. This week, we’re taking a tour of the cursed and creepy Gotham City. Longtime listeners will note that this place is nearly impossible to get into for us uninvited specters and spirits, but even longer time listeners will know my fun little method for getting around anti-ghost wards. That’s right, dear listeners, I’ve been playing human, and let me tell you, it may have been the best decision I’ve ever made.

Now, you all know how bored I can get playing human, what with the whole ‘being bad at being alive’ thing. I spend way too much time trying to remember things like how far a human body should be able to bend or how fast a heartbeat should go to have any real fun in my human form. In my defense, it’s not my fault my vital organs don’t work the way they should, that’s on the evil billionaire who made me. But anyway, I’m wandering through this place called Park Row, trying to practice breathing and blinking without needing to think about it, when all of a sudden this group of humans come out of nowhere, shooting each other.

Well, I love a good fight as much as the next ghost, so I get closer to them, try to see who’s on who’s side, who wants to put a bullet in who, when one of them grabs me and puts a gun to my head. So now there’s all this shouting, some threats get yelled out, and I’m thinking, ‘man… I am killing it with this human disguise!’ And it’s true, I was! They really thought I would die to a bullet! So I’m getting ready to phase out of this guy’s grip, maybe rough him up a little, when I see a bullet go straight through his arm. The guy drops me, and suddenly I’m hooked under this other guy’s arm, being thrown around like a potato sack.

And this is where it gets good. Because see, as fucked as my biology may be, I do have a damn good ghost sense. And this guy? He was about as ghost as any undead could be. Yeah, you heard me right, listener. The rumors are true. Gotham, as inhospitable it can be to any and all unwanted ghosts, does in fact have an undead population. Now, that’d be incredible on its own, but this guy? Folks, this guy was fucked. Up. You know that feeling you get when someone nearby gets punched in their core? That real quick ‘oh shit I gotta help this guy before they cease to exist’ feeling? Think that, but constant. Like this guy should be in so much unbelievable pain. And he’s throwing me around like I weigh nothing.

So I’m kind of freaking out, and I look up to ask this guy if he’s okay, and. Guys. You’re not gonna believe this. It was the Red Hood. He’s an undead. I know! It’s insane!

So he throws me to the side, kinda blocking me with his body while he’s shooting these people, and I think he told me to run at some point, but I’ll be honest, my brain just kinda stopped. Cause I’m not thinking about the fight anymore, now I’m thinking ‘holy shit, I need to get this guy to a doctor.’ I was actually in the process of starting to ask when one of the other guys’ bullets grazed me. So I decided against it.

Instead, I took out one of my spare inter-realm radios from my bag— always good to keep an extra in case the first gets destroyed— and one of the flyers for Wraith Radio with the airtime on it, and I snuck it into his pocket and disappeared.

And now, here we are, live on the radio, with— hopefully— Red Hood tuning in. So here we go: Red Hood, I am offering to bring you to the ghost zone doctors to get your core fixed. All I want in return is either an interview or a tour of your haunt, whichever you’re more comfortable with. You helped me out, stopping those guys from shooting me. Granted I would’ve been fine if they shot me, but you didn’t know that, so it still counts as a massive favor. I’m not gonna force you, obviously, but coming from someone whose unstable core almost melted her to death, I really think you should come with me. I doubt you remember much about the afterlife, what with the whole ‘being revived’ thing, but trust me when I say that getting an offer to go to this place as a human is rare, and probably won’t happen again. I will be waiting tomorrow at noon at the same place I was yesterday, hopefully not surrounded by people who wanna shoot me this time. Cool?

Anyway, back to talking about the city—”

————————

Jason stared at the glowing radio. He genuinely couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He remembered that girl, she was so scrawny that she looked like she could keel over at any minute. And apparently, she was some… horror radio show host? Sure, she pegged him as dead, but she probably said that about every interesting person she talked about on her show. And now she was going back to the same place she almost got shot? This kid was gonna get herself killed. Looks like he was going to have to talk some sense into her.

Part 2

[xxghost-zombie-jesus]

I would love to hear your opinions on Beej and Charles' relationship... Its always so fun to explore

dont mind me answering this two years later. i don't have an excuse im just a lil slow. it got long so it's under a readmore!

i like to think things are super rocky right off the bat. charles distrusts been the most in the beginning, after all, when he looks at the demon all he can remember is how he tried to marry his daughter, drove her and subsequently him to the netherworld, tried to kill delia, adam, and barbara, and made a mess of the house and their lives. so he isn't exactly please when beej is unceremoniously dumped onto his literal front steps. he is... cordial to the demon, not wanting to accidentally set Beetlejuice off and cause another Incident.

beej avoids charles a lot in the beginning. he has Mommy and Daddy issues, mainly from juno being, well, herself and his father not being around. (and honestly beej isn't sure if his father left him or was eaten by his mother, but he still holds out hope.) so another parent, especially someone who is genuinely angry and distrustful of him, and not in a 'god you're so annoying' way but in a 'you are a threat to my family way'. like, delia gets spooked by him easily, but she was probably the least affected by his outburst, and he helped her realize otho was a scam artist. the maitlands aren't exactly threatened by him, and quickly come to realize he's kind of... harmless. and lydia still considers him her best friend, even after the whole sham wedding/trying to kill everyone/killing him ordeal. but Charles? he's the only one who is not willing to deal with beej and his antics, nor does the man seem willing to move past the, well, past.

so, yeah, things are tense between them in the beginning. both of them feel threatened, and while beej is prone to lashing out when he feels threatened, charles is the quiet, calculating, take no shit. unstoppable force, immovable object. the few times they interact one-on-one doesn't go well, usually ends up in an argument, or worse, and the threat of sending beej back to the netherworld hangs heavy.

but, charles sees how beetlejuice acts around lydia, how he acts around the maitlands, hell, how he acts around delia. he's completely different than when charles originally met the demon. he's actually... more like a person than the mindless killing machine that charles thinks he is, and while he loaths to change his mind about the being who caused so much havoc and pain for his family, charles starts to doubt that he may have been wrong about beetlejuice. and then when delia implores that he just try and bond with beej, he really isn't so bad, they have a lot more in common that charles would think, he finally gives in and tries.

likewise, beetlejuice sees how charles acts around the rest of the household, the easy coparenting routines that he and the maitlands have developed regarding lydia. the calm discussions in the morning and the shared tv times in the evenings. he sees how charles is with delia, the gentleness and the love that's visible even to beetlejuice, eugh. the willingless to play along with her ideas and life coaching. he sees how charles is with lydia, the near desperation in his actions to make his daughter feel seen, feel loved, feel like he will always be there for her. how he begrudgingly builds her a dark room and allows her to paint her bedroom walls black. and he'd never say he was jealous, not if his undead life depended on it, but, honestly, he is. he wants so badly for charles to like him, hasn't what he's done to atone enough? hasn't he changed enough? but, fine, if charles won't like him, he can play along and make the man's life a living hell with pranks and comments and toeing the line of what is and isn't allowed.

and then charles finds out that despite being over 1000 years old, his age roughly correlates with that of a young adult, college-aged, even. charles, honestly, isn't sure that beej would even be of age for drinking, if he were human. he realizes that the demon's lashing out and acting up around him wasn't because he hates charles, its because he's a shitty young adult who has no idea who he is other than how others perceive him, who obviously got little to no parental love and guidance, who is fiercely protective of lydia, has taken her under his wing and would do just about anything in his power to make her happy. charles notices him eagerly playing along with delia's beliefs, never shutting her down or making her feel like she's crazy, but instead encouraging her to life her life how she wants to. he sees how beetlejuice had toned down the sexual jokes and innuendos at their behest, how he's done a complete 180 when he realized that they didn't enjoy his advances. he wants to be included but has stopped pushing and prodding for their attention.

and its when charles realizes that beej is basically just a hurt, scard, kind of angry yet doubtlessly kind kid that beetlejuice gets himself into some deep shit, and charles has to go save his ass. and its not for lydia's sake, well, at first it was, he'd hate to disappoint his daughter by letting something happen to the demon she's basically adopted as an older brother, but when he sees how genuinely hurt and upset beej is, something changes in their dynamic.

charles stops being so closed off to beej, starts including him in things, talking to him of his own accord, trying to be there for the demon like he is lydia. after all, he's no longer a freeloader, a dangerous demon on a hair trigger to charles anymore. he's just a troubled 20-something who just happens to be a demon. this doesn't exactly go well, beej isn't quick to judge, and the sudden change is so offputting to him that he thinks that charles is Up To Something.

because whenever juno started being nice to him, well, she either wanted something from him, or was about to make his life a living hell and fuck him over one hundred and one ways. so charles, someone he's lowkey started to think as a surrogate father even if he won't even admit it to himself let alone anyone else, suddenly acting like he wanted beej around, like he likes the demon? no he doesn't trust that. so he ups his antics tenfold, trying to piss charles off, trying to make things go back to how they were before.

and then this fic happens and, well, beej has to admit that charles does like him, and is trying to show it, and isn't out to get him, or kick him out, or kill him. its hard for both of them, but its a lot more positive than it had been before.

all this to say, i think they have a kind of father-son relationship, though not at first, and not for a hot second. both of them are resistant of getting along until both internal and external forces make them change, and even from there charles trying to kind of mother hen beej doesn't go well at first. but they figure things out

[strawberryfloofs]

Could I just have some headcanons for Itward as a Caretaker and Fran as a playmate please?

Yup! Playmate HC will be up later! Itward Caregiver Headcanons!

Despite being a literal undead skeleton, he's the opposite of scary, just a big teddy tear!

He didn't know anything about agere, but when he found out about yours and how it was a safespace to you, he immediately began research about it. When he learned about the idea of caregivers, it immediately clicked that it was perfect for him! He loved to be a protector for you in general, but now he could do it even better!

Loves giving you physical affection! His go to are hugs and cuddles but watch out... he might hug you so tight you feel like a pool noodle! Besides that, he adores headpats, but he'd never say no to anything his darling asks for!

Itward enjoys using petnames with you! He'll often call you his darling, friend, little one, and precious. If you're having a tougher time though, he'll pull out baby, sweetie, and other lovey names like that.

He often gives you little puzzles to piece together while he watches you! It makes him really happy when you finally figure out where all the pieces connect at, and he's always sure to praise you about how smart you are!

DEFINITELY cuts up your food for you and if you let him, I think he'd like feeding you too!

Doesn't enjoy giving you punishments at all because it always makes him feel a little sad and guilty, so he tries to give you multiple chances to listen to him before putting you in timeout or giving you lines.

Itward does shadow theatre for you! Whether it's your favorite stuffies, a classic fairytale, or something he made up himself, he puts on AWESOME shows for you! (Totally not because he adores your smile and awe...)

He's always there for you as a caregiver, but he does try to teach a little independence with simple things, let you help him out, or let you do them yourself. (with his watch ofc) You'll be showered in praise for brushing your teeth without his help, but he also doesn't mind helping you out either!

The kitchen is pretty off limits though...he'll let you mix the cookie dough and simple stuff like that, but he shoos you away once it comes to the oven. How could he risk his little one getting hurt?

Itward doesn't have a preference for any petname himself, he actually thinks anything you come up with is wholesome and very appreciated.

Will let you play dress up or pretend games with his top hat, and he doesn't wanna admit it, but how silly you look with it on fills his heart up with joy!

Itward reads you only the BEST bedtime stories he could think of. Afterall, you gotta get your beauty sleep!

Tries not to appear in your dreams, but he will NOT let you have any nightmares under his watch. Only good and happy dreams for his darling.

"Darling, I've already checked the closets- rest assured there are no monsters here, other than me, of course, but you know I'd always take care of you, my dear."

[random-senpai]

Y'know I joked about Fuuko getting a harem this timeloop but the more I think about it the more I think it's actually plausible. Tozuka loves to explore different genres in Undead Unluck. And with the popularity of the Harem genre he could easily play around with it. Fuuko and Andy's meeting was a twist on the classic "fateful encounter" in Shoujo manga where the female protagonist accidentally bumps into the male lead. So what if Andy's return is finding out that this time he has love rivals?

With most people he wouldn't have to worry because thanks to Fuuko riding arc she's unable to age so not many people would be able to be with her long term, but the people she's been getting vibes this loop with are able to be with her thanks to their negation abilities. With her completely changing the trajectory of their lives.

Feng - Unfade literally prevents him from aging and keeps him at his physical prime since it manifested earlier this loop. Thanks to Fuuko beating his ass he hasn't killed in decades and has grown embrace his role as a father (in a tsun way) instead of the messed up relationship he had with Shen the last loop.

Gina - Unchange prevents things from changing. In the previous loop she used it to make an unchanging shell of makeup to hide her age, but with the emphasis of growth of abilities this loop she might be able to prevent her cells from aging by making her own body "Unchanging". This loop instead of lamenting her role as a member of Union, she takes incredible pride in it. She's Fuuko's right hand woman, her closest confidant, her silly rabbit.

Billy - Unfair has changed massively this loop and is the most broken thing ever. Thanks to Fuuko he's taken a much more healthier outlook on life and allows him to express his true kind nature without being so self sacrificing. All he has to do is adknowledge one's strength and it lets him copy their ability. He can copy Andy's Undead without the convoluted backstab this loop, can copy Unfade whenever, and has already been shown to have copied Unchange this loop.

Hell they're even built like Otome Game routes

Andy is the fun flirty one that never really means anything at first and changes when he actually gets serious. Has (or had depending on when he comes back) the most screentime and is obviously the main route.

Feng is the tsundere that's reluctant to admit how he truly feel. Who also never leaves the MC alone and makes excuses instead of admitting his real emotions.

Gina is the bestie gal pal. She supports the MC no matter what and is the go to for infro. But she also has feelings deeper than just a friend and is the sole (barely hidden) Yuri route in the game.

Billy is the funny aloof older man (in concept. Fuuko is waaaay older than him this loop). He jokes around and acts like a dummy, but hides a tragic past and huge amounts of trauma behind his easy smile. Comes complete with the dead wife that 80% of rare Ossan options in otomes have.

I'm gonna throw this out there, but I think that when Fuuko gets to Unruin and saves him from his tragedy this loop, he's going to become obsessed with her and worship her like he worshiped God in the previous one. Maybe being like a messed up Yandere secret route.

So yeah good luck Andy. You're gonna need it when you come back to your girl.

[ironmandeficiency]

various moon knight hc’s

pairing: steven grant / reader, marc spector / reader, jake lockley / reader

word count: 603

summary: literally just a jumble of thoughts abt the moon boys that are barely coherent but 100% accurate

a/n: i can’t tell you how much i love them. did i project a bit? maybe lol but it’s too late. there’s literally ONE reference to nsfw acts but no details at all. i’ll do more of these at some point but have these for now

steven gives the best hugs point blank period

jake has MAJOR road rage and his insults will have you wheezing

learning self defense with marc would always lead to sexy times, so jake stepped in for a while so you’d actually learn something

things were going great until the same thing started happening with him, so steven just looks up local boxing gyms & self defense classes for you instead

throw pillows are a secret weakness for marc because some of them are actually comfortable

jake has one specific pillow he favors more than the others because it has just the right amount of fluff to feel good but not too much to where it feels like a rock

they’re a weakness for steven because of pillow fights

if jake were an animal, he’d be a badger. no explanation needed

steven enjoys learning about cryptids & is definitely a fan of mothman

jake enjoys feeding the ducks and geese at the park & has the vibe of a government agent waiting to meet with a contact while he does it

because of this, steven makes up silly stories about who they could possibly be meeting there & why

marc frequently looks up self defense videos on youtube & his commentary consists of rants about everything they do wrong. any advice you give on doing something that doesn’t frustrate him is brushed aside

their humor styles are so bizarrely different; steven is the king of puns and silly riddles, marc uses clever word play and sarcasm, & jake’s dry humor & almost stoic delivery leaves half of the people around him wondering if he was joking or not

steven is the little spoon in the silverware drawer that the resident neurodivergent favors out of all the other spoons

jake is one of those double sided utensils that has a spoon on one end & a knife on the other

marc is a very durable spork

steven would definitely play dungeons and dragons (and possibly dm) if he had more friends. he creates an undead falcon aarakocra to khonshu’s likeness specifically to make the god look like a dork; marc and jake find it hilarious when khonshu complains

are the boys allergic to dogs? yes. does marc care? of course not. he will pet every dog he sees (with the owner’s permission of course)

once steven starts realizing just how strong his body is, he will carry you around the apartment randomly. sometimes bridal style, other times piggy back rides, just any excuse to be close to you. it did take a bit for him to figure out the depth perception so he wouldn’t bonk your head or ankle on the doorframe, but it was worth it

whatever you do, do NOT take jake to an arcade because he will definitely end up yelling at someone. it’s either at management about the games being rigged (which some are) or at the asshole who had cheeto dust on their fingers when they were playing the game you were about to play

for as much as steven loves lord of the rings, marc and jake don’t (marc doesn’t let on that he enjoys it but jake is so confused by it)

you call marc moon moon the first time you see him be clumsy while wearing his moon knight suit & it never ceases to amuse you

jake & steven later tell you that they think it’s absolutely hilarious as well, and have taken to using the joking nickname here and there

if jake comes home late to you already asleep, he sing-whispers love songs in spanish as he gets ready to crawl into bed next to you

[owladaptive]

Pls share your thoughts on Huey Duck I would eat them up so fast

Hello yes I would like to talk about him.

Huey's sweet and kind and responsible and everything but I also think sometimes he will be pretty insufferable when he puts on his know-it-all hat and you know what good for him.

On that note; I'm pretty sure while Huey is absolutely a balm on the salty wound left open after having so many gratingly sarcastic and rude characters be the foremost autistic representation in media.... the kid's probably got a mean streak buried somewhere in there next to The Duke. Like I don't think he'd take a hard insult to his intelligence or anyone in his family lying down. And he wouldn't play nice with someone who really deserved a dressing-down I don't think.

I'm talking cutting words. Biting. He's smart, he could have some truly nasty comebacks locked and loaded for whenever a day comes that someone makes him mad enough.

In this interaction,

Huey says "are you really going to let our family get hurt because you're afraid to get hurt?" And I love it. It's kind of blink-and-you'll-miss-it because the scene immediately turns into a mad dash toward the sounds of lasers firing, but I caught it the other day and it stuck with me.

In moments like these, where a member of the main cast is put in the role of an advisor or counselor, we actually get a glimpse of their own psyche (when it's well-written and in character), as they attempt to transfer what they believe is The Right Thing To Do into the mind of the advisee. In this instance we, briefly, hear Huey speak one of his own core values. He speaks this idea of putting service/care to your family before your own means - before your own goals, discomfort, fears or limitations. Dare I say it's even a little sacrificial?

This message Huey presents is founded upon all of his strongest traits: responsibility, empathy, rationality and maturity. And for that reason (the coolest thing) this message Huey gives to Louie has a subtle through-line from the beginning of the show all the way to the end. Mt Neverrest is a strong example for this message being one of Huey's core values; wherein he instantly abandoned his personal quest to ensure the family's safety. And it pops up in so many little moments upon rewatching episodes.

I just think it's neat.

I think Huey's sadly not as strong a fighter as Dewey or Webby, about on par with Louie most of the time despite his y'know. Internal rage. He's saved by his quick thinking and ability to take advantage of any openings his calculating little science eyes spot.

But I also think branching off from that idea that Huey is a bloody dirty fighter and when I say he "takes advantage" I mean there will be zero hesitation. Sure, he can't fight in long, drawn-out brawls super well because 1 he's a little book boy and 2 he just doesn't have the spirit for fighting. But what he does have is logic - and not a lot of time to plan. So if Logic says that he only has a three fifths of a second to dig his fingers into this undead swordsman's eyes and pull out his optic nerves before he runs somebody through with his deadly sword than. You know. He does that.

And he DOESN'T get wrestling so he'd absolutely get disqualified or something for doing some crazy non-wrestling stunt like idk kicking someone in the throat.

Speaking of sports, we know Huey tried to get into football it seems and oh boy idk if that would have worked out well for him if he was in any position other than being the water boy. He'd either have panicked and gotten trampled or Duked out and gotten suspended..... tbh it more likely would have been the first.

We don't talk enough about how Huey sits at the proverbial "adult's table" in the family a lot of the time. Sure all the kids are treated as equals in skill and value by the adults but Huey's behind closed doors with the grownups, in the finale, the other kids actively being excluded from the planning circle he gets special privilege to be a part of like ISN'T THAT A BIT TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY?? He's a child???? Speaking as someone who used to be "the reliable/good/peace-keeping child" of my extended family, it can get pretty isolating being the one the adults trust the most with "important" business. I actually have a fic idea aaaaaaall about this that I started writing a while ago and I really want to finish it some day.

That's about all I could think of for the moment.... I've been dying to talk about some of this stuff, so thank you!

[elejah-wonderland]

elejah_au

_time travel fanfic_

_another part.

*

New York, 1988

"It was one of those things- jazz music became my outlet. I loved playing the piano. You brought that refreshing feeling back into my life." Elijah said, folding the tie neatly up. "I don't remember when I've actually enjoyed spending a day indulging in simple human activity like having ice-cream in a Diner."

Elena's heart filled with gladness. The day was a whirlwind of most unusual moments. She saw a completely different side to the Original. The specks of humanity in him burst out like cherry blossoms in the spring.

She never really had the chance to get know him in her real time. He'd left Mystic Falls to get entangled in his brother's illusory redemption dream.

Before you leave you need to put this poyion in his drink. He'll forget about you. We can't change the future.

Vallerie's words chimed in Elena's head. She sighed inwardly. It would be like you never met.

"Are you all right?" Elijah said.

"What?"

"You seemed to have travelled somewhere far away for a moment there. Drink?"

"Yeah, thanks." Elena shot up from the sofa, walking to the window. She soaked in the glittering skyline in front of her. Whatever was to come, at this very moment, she only cared that she was with him.

"There you go" Elijah handed her the Bourbon.

Elena took a sip and glanced at the Original. "I'd like to go to France with you if the offer still stands."

"It does." Elijah curled up a tiny smile.

Elena's face flushed for an unexplained reason, the nearness of him made her heart race suddenly wildly.

She knew that he'd be listening to it. And she was not wrong.

The air hitched in her throat as she met a flicker of serious wanton in his warm earthy eyes.

"I'd love to steal a kiss." he murmured.

Elena couldn't believe what he was hearing. A very strange feeling of déjà vu hit her. She gave him an arch look, swallowing hard.

"Sorry- I don't know what came over me" Elijah put the glass on the tall pedestal stand.

Wordlessly, Elena put her glass away and walked over to him, taking his face in her hands and kissed him.

Surprise stole air from his lungs. His undead heart skipped a beat, a palpable pause reverberated right through him. The feel of her lips sending his mind in a sensual state of intoxication.

His hand glid around her back, pulling her flush against him. Elena felt a sudden surge of heat enveloping her. A silent moan faded in her throat as he deepened the kiss.

And when his tongue tangled up with hers, she quivered a little under another gust of heat. She wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself.

She dreamt of this, in the most secret of hearts. Not a kiss stolen, but wanting, needing.

She closed her eyes, feeling Elijah's lips on the back of her neck, feeling his fingers tracing the length of her spine. She felt herself being lifted, gentle hands turning her, and stroking her all over. She arched into him. Him kissing a line up to her neck. A soft moan escaped her, trembling beneath his mouth. There was no gravity any longer. They were floating in the air. 

*

Elena snapped her eyes open. She exhaled, realizing quickly that she was in the empty lounge of the New York penthouse.

A very painful hollow feeling squeezed her heart. She was back in 2035. Bonnie and Valerie burst into the room.

[dreamnants-mis]

An attempt of a character analysis on Andy and Victor which I'll probably miss some details on because I write like a fifth grader essay. (So feel free to tell me things that I probably missed).

Because it's very relevant since Victor appeared in the anime recently and we may be getting the Autumn arc this season.

Spoilers for up to Chapter 134! Proceed with caution!

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.

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Andy and Victor are actually similar despite how Victor in his introduction appears very different from Andy, since it turns out Andy himself is Victor's alter ego created from Undead attempting to get around Remember sealing Victor's consciousness away. In particular, Victor comments that Andy reminds him of himself in the past, so I imagine Andy was influenced by Victor in some ways.

The similarity in particular being both are nihilistic and disconnected from their humanity, even though they express this in very different ways. But I like to think what they also share is both are afraid to openly care for others because of the fear of being hurt since as Undead, they will survive while everyone around them dies.

The latter point comes from a realization Andy has post-Spring battle; Fuuko's battle with Spring proves she can kill beings that aren't human and what might be preventing Fuuko from killing him with Unluck is because it's him who's afraid to love her back the same, leading to him declaring it's his turn to fall in love with her, which could be interpreted as Andy wanting to be someone able to accept and return Fuuko's feelings.

Interestingly, he already technically confessed to her, but he tried to play it off when pressed about it since Fuuko didn't hear it.

Here, Andy clearly seems to pause registering Fuuko noticed he was saying he loved her and then immediately tries to lie to her, which she knows he's lying about. Episode 9 also add a similar moment where he talks to Fuuko about the Longing teacher and the kids and he gets surprisingly introspective on the topic before almost rather abruptly asking Fuuko if that charmed her.

Regardless, it does highlight that Andy is secretly afraid of being emotionally vulnerable and that manifests in his outward actions/words not fully reflecting what he actually thinks.

But where Andy begins to diverge from Victor is being able to believe in others from Fuuko's influence and trying to overcome that fear of being able to care for others openly.

His fight with Billy highlights his gained ability to believe in others. Besides Fuuko, he trusted that the other Union members can handle Under while he tries to retrieve Fuuko from under and this conversation in particular highlights this:

He agrees with Billy that only the strong should face God, but then tells him that together, the Union is strong.

Which is powerful considering we know Andy started the series just as nihilistic and detached as Victor.

In fact, in the context of the scene while these two were fighting, Fuuko was climbing Tokyo Tower and reached Spring in the time for the two to end up in a stalemate.

In particular, Andy's interactions with Lucy are incredibly significant in helping Andy come to understanding himself.

When they're trapped in Seal, Lucy tells him the secret to astral projection is dreaming of something you want, which for her is being able to play with others that her ability made her unable to do. Andy at first states he's already achieved just about everything in his years of living. At least, until Lucy stating that "[he's] got everything" because he can't die makes Andy start to think. And here, we see what might truly be "the greatest death ever" for Andy is actually being able to die of old age after living a fulfilling life, something that Andy had given up on since Undead makes that impossible to achieve.

Of course, he acts surprisingly shy and even tells Lucy to not laugh at him for said dream. And yet, I think that's important to think about because it does show Andy has become more conscious about his feelings and what he actually wants.

But then we get to Victor and find even after 455 billion years, he's never quite been able to describe what exactly Juiz gives him until she's gone, and only then he understands why people keep fighting to protect the warmth others have given them. Victor became someone too afraid to love deeply or consciously because he would always survive and anyone around him would not. Even for Juiz, she was still mortal and could still die in battle, and that over the course of countless loops made Victor afraid to consciously acknowledge what exactly she meant to him, even though she had been the reason he hadn't completely lost his mind having to watch the world get destroyed and reformed 100 times.

In the flashbacks, we also see Victor was rather cynical of the idea of allies, at one point getting into an argument with Juiz after one version of the Spoil quest resulted in most of the Roundtable being wiped out, claiming it was the allies that added to Juiz's burden and nearly got her killed. I think that likely contributed to Victor focusing more and more on individual strength, though it's clear even he can't do much alone against God.

Maybe that's also shown in how Victor is only able to draw power from Rebellion after understanding what Juiz had given him because he's now about to consciously recognize his feelings as they truly were. Before, Victor couldn't really use Rebellion outside of negating the life draining aspects of it because he was too detached from his feelings to power the Artifact or understood the strength and feelings needed to use it. And only after losing the person that mattered to him could finally use it to protect the beacon of hope Juiz had named her successor. But of course, he understands them too late to protect the person he wanted to protect the most.

I think this also shows in their names. As I mentioned in my previous mini-essay on the significance of Andy's name, Andy started out as a nickname Fuuko gave him but it became his name overtime. While Fuuko got the name from the Japanese pronunciation of "Undead" in-universe, the name is actually pretty fitting for Andy in a likely unintentional way since it can be a diminutive of the name "Andreas", which means 'man' aka "human".

As it turned out, it's being human that may very well allow for Fuuko to succeed where Juiz was unable to accomplish and where Andy becomes someone potentially stronger than Victor.

Victor's name meanwhile can translate to "conqueror" and he's called a "God of Victory", someone not quite human. That's also interesting to pay attention to considering he insists to Shen that he's not a god, but a human. Which in some ways could feel hollow since Victor likely is trying to remind himself he is human despite feeling disconnected from it.

Though as we learn from observing Juiz in the beginning of the story, Juiz probably didn't need physical strength but rather heart since that was probably what was missing that kept her from ever succeeding (well, on top of the fact the Gods were clearly screwing her over from the beginning since the one item they needed to kill God would only appear in the last loop).

I think Victor's real tragedy is he became a god of war to protect Juiz, the person he loved, but what he actually needed to protect Juiz from was from herself by being a human and reminding her she is still human. But in becoming stronger and becoming nihilistic, he became someone unable to do that.

[blues824]

How about a older idia shroud with a kid who has the personality like nico from camp half-blood?

This is written in the third person using they/them pronouns for the child. Idia’s spouse is  mentioned, and they can be interpreted as you. Child could also be interpreted as you if that’s what you prefer.

Idia Shroud

Honestly, they reminded him of himself when he was younger. Obsessed with a game that no one else really knew about while being picked on in school for being weird and a ‘nerd’. He supports his child’s hobbies because he knows how much they need it.

Every single time he looks over at his kid while playing Mythomagic with them and he’s reminded of his spouse and how their love brought them to where they are now. He randomly thinks about it while he’s working on the overblot studies and it makes him tear up.

If his child wants to get into the family business (they most likely have to either way, considering the curse of the Shroud family), he will gladly lead them around the lab and teach them how to do whatever and what this and that means.

Idia spends a lot of his time away from his family to try and find a cure for the curse that was placed on his family so that his child would be free to do whatever they wanted when they grew up. He wanted to give them the life that was taken away from him, and he was going to try his hardest.

When his child gains their unique magic, he is delighted and intrigued. Their unique power allowed them to summon the dead and build an undead army to fight. It was actually at school where his kid was under distress that everyone found out, and Idia volunteered to be the one to pick them up.

After they realize the actual power they have in their hands, they begin to isolate themselves. It was worrying to Idia because he didn’t want them to be the introverted person he was back in College and at the beginning of his marriage.

One day, they open up and tell him that they would never be accepted by the living and therefore they could only trust the dead, for dead men tell no tales. That was the first sign that told Idia that they would rule with fear rather than love. The world turned its back on them just like it did him many years prior.

He only hopes that one day, a saving grace comes in and shows them that everyone deserves to be loved despite their powers or their actions in the past. It was silly how much this reminded him of his spouse. By the way, Idia doesn’t judge who his child loves… be they the son of Apollo, daughter of Athena, or child of Poseidon.

[covenofthearticulate]

🔥 and Louis/Daniel as a ship

🔥Ashley's Hot Takes🔥

Fucking love it. LOOOOOVE it. I personally tend to see them more on the side of like sexual chemistry rather than emotional chemistry (although I do think there are a lot of intense and intimate emotions involved, I just don't see them being in love, for lack of a better term).

But either way, there's just so much history between them, like they kickstarted the Chronicles and shook the undead world to it's core together, and I like to think that in hindsight they have a real respect and understanding for one another.

There's just endless dynamics for them to play with as well though because like!! Literally they spend ONE NIGHT together and then Louis fucks off, and they don't meet again until decades later when the world is fucking ending so I just asdgxcfvabeskjfhb I'm always SO SO CURIOUS about Louis's thoughts on Daniel's turning and what it was like for him to initially realize that Daniel was not only one of us, but also reckoning with the fact that Daniel would likely be part of his life for a long time to come, that his actions actually had consequences when he picked out that guy from the bar all those years ago. Meanwhile Daniel's been running around with Armand, who only sarcastically refers to "your friend Louis" when prodded on the subject like LMAO I'm always so so curious how Daniel's thoughts on Louis changed after spending time with a different vampire!!!

Anyway, we already know Daniel was down so bad for Louis during the interview, and I really don't think any of those feelings would go away even after he's brought into the blood. It's very easy to fall for Louis. But on the flip side of that, Louis has always found something alluring about Daniell as well, and I think once they're on more even ground I don't think it's difficult at all to imagine a world in which they share blood with one another whenever they're in the mood.

TL;DR: the world needs more Louis/Daniel content, please I'm begging